Runaway
by LibraryGeek99
Summary: I wish I could just escape. Get loose. Just run away. I wish my family was still with me. Not up in the sky. I wish I never told Peeta Mellark I love him. KatnissxPeeta AU. No Hunger Games.
1. Chapter 1

Hey you guys! This is my second fanfiction. I hope you guys will enjoy it! DISCLAIMER: I don't own any hunger games material.

Runaway

Prologue

I an nothing to them. I'm only another body that takes up space. A toy that they can mess around with. A statue that shows no emotion and has no feeling. A girl who has nothing left to lose. Not even her sanity. Laughs and snide remarks are memories that fill my mind. They gave up on me long ago, when I blocked out the world, and hid behind my curtain of brown hair. When I remained silent for days. Then weeks. Then months. I had forgotten what my own voice sounded like. But then I remember why I stay silent. It's because no one would care if I said anything. No one would acknowledge. And no one would want to hear my story. It would be best if I disappeared from the world. But instead, I stay trapped in the foster home, waiting for my chance to escape. I, Katniss Everdeen, am a very, very lost girl. A lonely girl. A girl that is about to get loose. A runaway.

Chapter One

PFFFFTTTTT. PFFFFFTTTTT. Saliva saturated spitballs fly from the straw and onto the back of my neck. I use my right hand to swipe them off and rub off any unwanted watery liquid.

"Hey Catpiss." Glimmer whispers. I ignore her. "What's wrong Catpiss? Cat got your tougne? Or did someone cut it off?" I turn my gaze from the whiteboard and give her a deadly glare. She sits there, no sign of irritation or pressure. Her emerald green eyes staring into my soul, crushing it from the inside out. I feel a slight nudge on my shoulder.

"Don't let her bug you Catnip." Gale says and leans back into his chair. I huff. Gale relaxes in the chair. His chocolate brown hair, charcoal grey t-shirt, his cargo pants and black converse. Gale makes any guy look like a sack of crap. But not to me. Gale is my only friend, best friend, brother.

"Katniss." I look up from my quotes that I constantly write in my notebook. "Katniss." Miss Trinket says. The sub. That woman is wearing more pink than there would be at a breast cancer fundraiser. Pink obnoxious wig, pink five inch heels, pink suit, and pink sparkly handbag. "Katniss, I am talking to you. Answer the question." Everyone averts their eyes to me. I have never been called on in my whole life, let alone talk and interact to other human beings other than Gale. Guess no one told this woman I don't talk. Period.

"Catpi- I mean Katniss doesn't talk Miss Trinket. She's practically mute." Glimmer informs her. I roll my eyes. I am not MUTE. I simple choose not to speak out of stubbornness.

"Yeah, I don't think I've ever heard her talk before." Marvel says. Glimmer's lifelong crush. Or should I say obsession.

"Shut the fuck up Marvel." Gale spits out.

"Just an observation." he says with a sas-master tone.

"Well I don't care if she's mute or not, Katniss Everdeen will answer my question!" She shrills. Yeesh. This woman sounds like a dying guinea pig. Everyone once again looks at me, interested in the next words I'm gonna say. I decide to mess around with her.

"What was the question?" i say with sarcasm. Glimmers eyes go wide. I hear a gasp in the front of the classroom.

"And she speaks!" Marvel shouts. Effie, on the other hand, totally forgot the question, and stomps her foot and huffs.

"Let's go onto math." she says with a sigh. I look down at my notebook, blocking out the harsh whispers and wide-eyed looks. No matter how hard Gale tries, he will never be able to protect me from the words of others. Instead, I focus of other words. Quotes. I glance over at my favorites. "The more you say, the less people will remember. " - François Fénelon. And "The soul of conversation is sympathy." - Thomas Campbell. Words I live by. BRAAAAAAAAANNG! The last bell. Meaning schools out for the day. I gather my books and run out of the classroom.

"Katniss!" Gale shouts. But i shut him out. 'I hate school.' I think to myself, 'I hate people. I hate District 1. I hate Panem. I hate my foster home. I hate my life.' I shove my stuff in my locker and SLAM it shut.

"Katniss!" Gale shouts. I spot Gale, stuck in a sea of people and bright colors. I run, then break into a full on sprint. 'I wanna go home.' I think as I sprint towards the abandoned building. 'I wanna be with my family.' I slip through the two wooden boards that covers the door. 'I wanna go back to District 12.' I run up the stairs, not caring that they could collapse at any second. 'I'll take Gale with me.' I'm still running up two flights of stairs. 'I wanna have him meet my old friends.' I knock down the door that is for room 23B. 'I hope they still remember me.' I open the balcony doors. 'I wish I could've said goodbye.' I collapse onto the ground crying. 'I wish I hadn't told Peeta I loved him.'

What do you think? R&R, fav and follow, blah blah blah. :) until next update!


	2. Come Back

Hey guys! I decided that for the story, it will consist of Katniss's POV and Peeta's POV. This chapter will be Peeta's POV and Katniss POV.

Flour is powdered all over my arms and apron, and caked under my nails. I'm kneading the dough for the daily batch.

"Dammit Peeta, where's the icing mix?" my older brother, Rye, shouts from the other room.

"Where it's always been, the second cabinet to the left." I holler right back. Once the dough takes the form of bread, I place it onto a pan, and into the oven. I run upstairs and change into a white t-shirt and jeans.

"Rye, tell dad I'm going out." once I stepped foot into the room, Rye gives me a concerned yet angered look.

"It's been six years, Peeta. _SIX_ damn years. Your sixteen. Don't you think that you should just forget about her, and move on?" I'm angered by this. He, of all people, knows how much I love Katniss.

"Never. I will never move on. She told me that she loved me. It wasn't her choice to leave. I will wait at the train station everyday for the rest of my miserable life if I have to." I feel the tips of my ears getting red with anger, and the rim of my eyes getting watery.

"Peeta..." Rye sighs. I hold my hand up and look away.

"No. Just..." I let out a huff of frustration an bolt out the door. As I make my way towards the train station, I think, 'What if Katniss never comes back to District 12?' I mentally slap myself silly in the face. She'll come... Eventually. 'What if she forgot about me.'

"Shut up Mellark." I say out loud and shove my hands deep into my pockets. I come back to reality realizing that I've been standing at the steps of her old house. 'What if she doesn't love me anymore?' I fall onto my knees and weep into my hands. For the past six years since they took her away from me, I have been a mess.

"Come back katniss." I whisper. "I need you."

"Catniiiiiiiiiip. Catnip wake up." I feel a large hand gripping my shoulder, trying to shake me awake. I was dreaming about Peeta, my blond-haired, blue-eyed baker. I wonder what he looks like now. I slowly flutter my eyes open. It was dark.

"Shit." I say. My foster home is probably ready to lock me up in a room right about now. Gale tugs at the end of my braid.

"Katniss, whose Peeta?" Gale asks with a serious expression.

"Gale you know who-"

"No," he interrupts, "what does he mean to you?" I sigh. I've never told Gale my whole story, no one knows.

"I loved him. I still do." Gale's face softens. "He loved me too. But he probably forgot about me by now." I look up at the full moon and a single tear rolls down my cheek.

"I miss him so much." I whisper. I quickly use the back of my hand to wipe off the tear. "We have to go, before our foster home sends us back to Peacekeepers." Gale nods, but gives me a sad look.

"Let's go." he says. We slip out of the window and down the fire escape, and drop on our feet onto the sidewalk. "We could do it you know. Runaway. Become runaways. We have nothing holding us back. Go back to District 12, hop onto the next train as stowaways." Gale says. He stares into my eyes, telling me that if I said yes then we would go.

"Yes," I say. "But not tonight." Gale nods.

"Whenever you're ready Catnip."

"I've been ready." I say.

I hope you guys like it! And don't worry, as we get into the story the chapters will become longer. Until next time! Oh, and read, review, fav, and follow!


	3. We Can Go Home

Hey guys! Sorry for the late update, I lost my phone (temporarily) and half of the chapter was on there so I had to type it again on my iPad. :( Disclaimer: I do not own any Hunger Games material.

"EVERDEEN! GET YOUR SORRY ASS DOWN HERE AND MAKE BREAKFAST!" Alma Coin, the headmaster of the foster home, shouts. I groan into my pillow. When will this nightmare end? "MASON! COME SCRUB THE SHIT OFF THE TOILETS!" I hear a groan. I look over to see Johanna Mason with her head in her flat pillow, cocooned inside an old, ratty, blanket.

"Tacky ass bitch." she mutters. As she starts to get up I laugh at her appearance. Her short, spiky, blue black hair is sticking in all sorts of directions, with two tufts on the top of her head. She's sporting two purple bags that she wears underneath her eyes. "What's so amusing, Brainless?"

"You," I smirk. "You look like a sleep deprived owl."

"I shit you not, Brainless, that witch had me up all night doing her dirty business." I frown. Johanna was one of the 'juvenile delinquents' that Alma chose to 'make people disappear' and all that crap.

"Was it bad?" I ask.

"Nah," she replies, "but I did happen to look at the train times and which ones are carrying cargo and which ones are carrying people." Johanna was like Gale and I, just waiting for our chance to escape. "I found a train that would take us to District 2-12." she says in a low whisper. "I could go home, back to 7. And you and Gale could go back to 12." I see her big, brown, eyes rimmed with tears, her voice soft. "Katniss, we could go home." I think about this. I could go home. I could be with Peeta.

"Yes. We can go home."

"EVERDEEN!" Coin yells. I quickly make my way down the stairs, dodging all of the other child laborers. As I near the kitchen, I hear Gale taking to a brawny guy named Chaff in the hallway. I press my back up against a wall so that I wouldn't be seen and listen.

"Now listen to me you mo-" I cover my ears "-you stay away from her. I don't want anyone touching her. Got it? Or I will snap your neck." Gale says with anger.

"Aw. Come on, Squirrel Boy, it's not fair that you keep that fine piece of ass all to yourself. We all need some fun." Chaff says in a not-so-intimidating voice. "Now why don't we start the party now? There's that shack in the back of the house, and I don't think she'd mind some... Physical contact."

"That's it! Your DEAD!" Gale shouts. I come out from the corner to see Gale on top of Chaff, trying to grasp Chaff's shoulder and head, while Chaff is trying to punch his face and gut.

"STOP!" I yell. I stomp over to the two boys and slap Gale across the face and punch Chaff in the nose and kick him in his crotch.

"Bitch!" Chaff yells as he doubles over and tries to regain his composure. Before he can get up, I snatch Gale's wrist and drag him over to to the kitchen.

"Catnip," Gale sighs.

"Why are you getting yourself in trouble over something so stupid?" I calmly ask.

"Because I don't want you getting mixed up with an asshole like him." I hug Gale. "I'm sorry Catnip."

"It's fine, just don't do it again." I release him if the hug and run to the kitchen. I smile 'I could be with Peeta.'

/

"Aw shit cakes." I hear. "Dad! He's fine!" I slowly creak open my eyes to find a blue pair staring intently at me, shaking his head of dirty blond curls. Rye? I remain lying on the ground but look around. I was on the Everdeen porch. I see my father jogging up to the house.

"Son!" he shouts. "What were you thinking?!" he is obviously angered by my abrupt disappearance. "You scared me and your mother shitless!"

"Dad," Rye sighs. I start to get up.

"Why the hell are you sleeping on this porch?!" I've never seen my father so upset. The calm, jolly, serene man was replaced by an angry one.

"I was going to the train station." I whisper.

"Why were you going there?!" he shouts.

"To wait for Katniss."

"What?" he asks, not believing what he had heard.

"Dad," Rye says. "Peeta goes to the train station everyday, since the incident" he sighs, "to wait for Katniss." My father holds his hand up to stop his words.

"So you're telling me," redirecting his question to me, "that for six years, you've been waiting at that damn train station?" he says with disbelief. He voice was steady, but the emotions on his face told me that he was about to explode.

"**SIX DAMN YEARS PEETA**!?" he yells, then inhales. "Don't you think that you should move on-"

"And what Dad? What? Go find another woman just so that she could always be second best?" he knows that I'm referring to mom. "I LOVE her Dad! And _DAMMIT_, I'll wait at the train station for the rest of my life until she comes back! Just because you were more than willing to find someone else doesn't mean I am!" I inhale and cover my face with my hands.

"Just forget about her!" Rye yells, and my whole body tenses up. "I'm sick and tired of you mourning around for the past six years! Your more of a ghost than a man! She won't even love-" I punch his face then shove Rye up to a wall, using my forearm to push against his neck to cut off his oxygen. My father freezes. I have never attacked a single soul in my life, so this was a first.

"**DON'T YOU DARE SAY THAT**!" I yell, then whisper, "Don't you dare." I release Rye, and I see the side of his face start to turn purple. He clutches his throat and looks me in the eyes. His eyes are not filled with anger, but sadness, and they tell me that he's sorry. I brush past my father's shoulder, whom is still frozen with shock, and make my way towards the house.

Alright! That was the third chapter everyone! Please, R&R, favorite, follow, oh and PM me if you have any ideas for the story. I already have a pretty good idea, but more are always welcomed! They will be taken into account and somehow will weave it's way into the story. :)


	4. Why?

FOUND MY PHONE! *do a happy dance* okay so this first part is Peeta's POV. Oh, and I'm gonna try this... When I get five or more reviews... Then I'll update. I know, I hate it when people do that too but I just really need some motivation! Or five more followers. Either one. Or both. Preferably both. DISCLAIMER: I do not own THG, if I did I would've known where the hell Effie ended up. Do we? PM me if we do, but I read the trilogy a bunch of times and she kinda went MIA. ENJOY! PS, I went on google and typed in "bread names for boys" and I got Bannock, Fintan, and Rye. Funny... But where's Peeta? :P and if your wondering, Mrs. Mellark is nice.

Peeta POV

SLAM! I swing the door shut so hard it could've broken the hinges. As I'm running past the kitchen, I see out of the corner of my eye, my mother and my brother, Fintan, making some orders.

"PEETA!" she yells, "GET BACK DOWN HERE I WAS WORRIED SICK ABOUT YOU!" I ignore her and storm up the stairs. I slam my door shut and lock the door. I flop down on my bed bawling. At that moment, I didn't care about being strong. I didn't give a shit. I cried and cried; cried myself dry, until I heard a light tapping on the door.

"Peeta?" Fitan says, "Buddy, open up." Fintan only used 'buddy' when he was about to transform into a true older brother. I slowly lift myself up from the bed and shuffle my feet over to the door. I unlock the door with a CLICK and quickly throw myself onto my bed and stuff my head deep in the pillow. The door creaks, and as he takes a step, so do the wooden floors. Fintan sighs. I look up from my pillow.

"Look, I know what you've been doing for the past..." He starts to count on his fingers, "four...five... Six years. And I've been wondering, 'Why? Why does he wait for her?'" he stares deep into my eyes. "I don't know about you, but I think I'm the only one that's interested in your story." he smirks, but soon becomes serious. He sits down on the chair by my desk, crosses his arms, and leans back. "So tell me, what is it about this girl that makes you love her so damn much?" I stare blankly at him. 'What makes me love her?' I think.

"Her love for others. Our love for each other." I say. "She made me feel important and loved. Her passion for her loved ones and her courage. Her stubbornness, the way she scowls when she gets annoyed." All my words just start pouring out I my mouth. "The way she smiles; it makes my heart skip a beat. Her determination and her bravery. She would lay her life down to save others. Her voice. When I heard that angel's voice eleven years ago, I knew I was a goner. Even then I knew that she was the girl that I was going to love and be with forever." I look up at my brother from the crack in the wall that I've been staring at.

"Big plans for a little man who couldn't even tie his shoes. Let alone put them on." The corner of my mouth twitched. Fintan got up and out of the chair and made his way for the door. "Peeta?" He says over his shoulder.

"Yeah?"

"Please, don't loose hope. You will find her." he says and walks out he door. 'I will," I think, "soon."

/

SLAP. My right cheek starts to sting. SMACK. I take a hit that had ten times the amount of force the first one had.

"And that was your warning. You do not ignore my orders! Next time, child, you'll be sent to the whipping post once more." Coin scolds and walks off. I stay still. Holding my head up high and refusing to let any tears drip.

"Katniss!" I hear. I turn around to see Gale running up to me. Before I can move he envelopes me in a hug. "She's never gonna touch you again, Catnip. We're leaving." He whispers in my ear. "She won't EVER lay a single finger on you ever again." he rubs my back.

"We're leaving?" I hoarsely whisper.

"Yes, Catnip, the train comes at 10:15 tonight. We're gonna take everything we got and hop on that train." A tear trickles down my cheek.

"How are we gonna get past the peacekeepers?"

"Johanna has been working on an escape route for years. She knows the whole place like the back of her hand." he leans back and softly tucks away a strand of hair behind my ear.

"Thank you." I whisper.

"Thank _YOU_, Catnip. You're the one that gave me hope."

I know, short chapter, but I felt like I had to update something. Hope you enjoyed it, hopefully, the next one will be up soon. Read and review, favorite and fallow!


	5. Chapter 5

Holy fudge. You guys are amazayn. I was all like "Oh... My Gale. They like the story." So as an award for all of you fabalouis people, (I'm a directioner as well as a hard core tribute) I will post this chapter earlier than intended. Yay! I love all of your reviews and I loved that you either favorite or followed my story. (I'm so happy) ENJOY! DISCLAIMER: I do not own the hunger games.

Katniss POV

It's 9:54. Everyone was put to sleep at 9:30 sharp; the train leaves at 10:15. I'm lying on my mat, waiting and listening. All is silent.

"Brainless?" I look up. Johanna is dressed in a pair of torn blue jeans and an old, grey, hand-me-down tank top with her old tennis shoes are about four years old. She has a backpack with all her belongings on her back.

"Ready?" she asks.

"Yes," I reply. I swiftly jump off of the mat, and land softly on my feet. I'm wearing a uniform similar to Johanna's, and carrying the same backpack. "Lead the way." She puts her finger up to her lips.

"Quiet," she scolds, "there are peacekeepers are over the place." I nod. She slowly opens the door. No peacekeepers in the hallway. "We have to go to Gale's room and use his window to get out. It's the closest to the fence and the train." she whispers. Johanna quietly crosses the hall, and I do the same. "He's on the second floor." she says. As we make our way down the stairs, Johanna steps on a floorboard and it creaks. Peacekeepers start shouting.

"What was that?"

"I think it came from the stairs."

"Then GO!" I look at Johanna with wide eyes. She takes a slingshot out of her backpack and also strips it of a brown button. She aims it at the door of one of the room on the door to the left at the bottom of the stairs. Johanna releases the button and it goes soaring through the air. CLACK. The button hits the door.

"Over there!" one of the peacekeepers yell. They run over towards the direction of the sound. We take our chance to run over to Gale's door. Johanna and I quietly slip through the door.

"Ready?" I hear. I turn around. Gale. I run up to him and give him a bear hug. "Ready?" he whispers.

"Yes." I respond.

"Great. 'Cause I can't wait to get back home." we let go. Johanna opens the window and peers her head out.

"Coast is clear." she informs us. She quickly stuffs her hand into bag and retrieves a rope. She tosses it out the window, clutching one end, and then securely ties it to a hook that is right by the window.

"Let's bounce." Gale says. Johanna stops in her tracks. She holds up her finger and says, "Don't ever say that again." I stifle a laugh.

"Yes ma'am." he murmurs as he hangs his head in shame. THUMP. THUMP. THUMP. Heavy footsteps are approaching the door.

"Let's go!" she loudly whispers. Gale pushes me to get on the rope. I hold on, my back facing the moonlit scenery, and wrap my legs around it. I slide down as fast as I can. I drop to the ground when I'm ten feet up.

"OOF!" I collapse on my hands and knees and then look at my hands. They're as red as tomatoes, and the stinging feels like my hands were covered in oil and lit on fire. I quickly get off of the ground and see that Johanna and Gale are sliding down the rope. Gale steadily lands on his feet; Johanna drops onto her hands and feet, much like the position of a protective cat.

"Wasn't that sexy?" she asks. Gale and I roll our eyes. Gale looks at his watch. His eyes bug out.

"10:12!"

"We gotta go! It'll be about two minutes to get to the train if we sprint the whole way." Johanna shouts. I don't wait. I start sprinting through the field as fast as I can. 'Left. Right. Left. Right." I think to try to not to trip on my feet. 'I feel like I'm flying." I think, "Like my feet have been lifted off he ground." I'm still running. "I feel free."

"We're almost there!" i shout. I see the train at the station, puffing out large clouds of black smoke and debris.

"Go! Go! Go!" Gale yells. "it's almost ready to leave!" I dodge the signs, slip between the trains, and quickly hop onto the cargo area. TOOT. TOOT. The whistle goes off. Johanna and Gale are still at least fifty feet away.

"GALE! JOHANNA!" I screamed. The train jerked. "OOF!" I fell down on my side.

"KATNISS!" I heard. Gale and Johanna were running towards the train, which has started gradually move. Johanna leaps onto the train.

"Gale!" she shouts.

"I'M COMING!" he yells. He's sprinting as fast as he can towards the moving train. I extend my hand.

"Grab on!" I yell. The breeze is running through my flyaway hair. Gale comes close to the train. "Almost there!" he quickly clutches on the my wrist. Johanna grabs my waist and tugs. Gale comes flying into the train.

"OOF!" he yells. We all catch our breathes. 'In. Out. In. Out.'

"_**YES**_!" Johanna yells. "_**HERE'S TO US! WE THREE SOULS ARE TRAPPED NO MORE! AND AGAIN I SAY, HERE'S TO US. TO FREEDOM!**_"

/

Well that's that. Comment, favorite, follow, blah blah blah. Hope you enjoyed. More Peeta in the next chapter. And btw, I will update 'Curiosity Killed That Darn Cat' soon!


	6. Train ride

DISCLAIMER! I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES NOR "LEGO HOUSE" BY ED SHEERAN! (amazing song btw) sorry for not updating! It's that damn prison people call middle school. :P. And can i please have more feedback on this chapter?! One of the main reasons that i didn't update was because of no motivation! Anyway, hope you enjoy it!

/

My eyes are glued to the water that flashes by, but my mind is in another place. 'I wonder if anything has changed in District 12. Maybe it hasn't changed at all in the last six years. And Peeta... What will he think?'

"Brainless, what's with the look you got on your face? Need to take a shit?" I scowl.

"No, just thinking," I glumly reply.

"Well don't worry about it, Catnip. You don't need anymore stress," Gale says.

"Yeah, yeah," I mumble. Focusing more on our surroundings, I realize that we are circling around the perimeter of District Four.

"Does this train stop at EVERY district?" I ask.

"Yeah, so don't be too surprised by the company we might get," Johanna says. "In fact, I have an old friend that lives here in four. His name's Finnick Odair. When we were in the foster home I'd secretly write letters to him." A forlorn look flashes across Johanna's face, then dissipates as soon it came. "He was my best friend. I lost touch with him a year ago when Coin cut off all contact."

"I'm sorry," Gale responds.

"It's life. You have to live and let go." Suddenly, this urge to _COMFORT_, Johanna _MASON_ washes over me. Weird right? A song that I would sing to my late sister, Primrose, reappears in my mind. I start to drum my fingers on the old, red, metal tool box that I'm sitting beside, in a rhythmic pattern.

I'm gonna pick up he pieces, and built a lego house.

If things go wrong we can knock it down.

My three words have two meanings,

And if there's one thing on my mind, is that for you.

And it's dark in a cold December, but I got you to keep me warm.

If your broke I'll mend ya and keep you,

Sheltered from the storm that's raging on now.

I'm outta touch, I'm outta luck.

I'll pick you up when your getting down.

And out of all these things I've done, I think I love you better now.

I'm outta sight, I'm outta mind.

I'll do it all for you in time.

And out of all these things I've done, I think I love you better now.

I'm humming the melody when I tear my gaze from the waters and avert them to Johanna and Gale. Silent tears are streaming down Johanna's scarred cheeks. Gale's steel grey eyes are looking out into oblivion, remembering the memories that come with this song.

I'm gonna paint you by numbers, and color you in.

If things go right we came frame it and put you on a wall.

And it's so hard to say I but I've been here before.

And I'll surrender up my heart and swap it for yours.

I'm outta touch, I'm outta luck.

I'll pick you up when your getting down.

And out of all these things I've done, I think I love you better now.

I'm outta sight, I'm outta mind.

I'll do it all for you in time.

And out of all these things I've done, I think I love you better now.

Gale wears a sorrow smile, while Johanna roughly wipes her tears away. Minutes later, the train comes to a steady stop. We hide behind the wooden crates.

"RUN!" a distant male voice yells. "ANNIE RUN!"

"Finn?" Johanna whispers. She immediately jumps up from out hiding spot and leaps to the cargo door. Her brown eyes go wide. She raises

her hands and starts waving them around.

"FINN! OVER HERE!" she frantically yells. Gale and I abruptly get up and are at Johanna's side. I see a young man that appears to be about our age sprinting along the edge of the waters an towards the train. With him is a girl that looks to be about our age also.

"JO!" he shouts. Finnick stops and snatches the girl's hand. He is almost at the train. Johanna reaches her hand out.

"GET IN!" he grabs her hand with his free hand jumps aboard, picking up the girl in the process. They're panting like dogs. I use this chance to take in their appearance. Finnick has thick, bronze hair, and sparkling sea green eyes. He can easily hover a good foot or two over Johanna and I. He has tanned skin, and toned muscles. The girl, whom I presume is Annie, has honey brown wavy hair that cascades down to her waist. She has a petite figure, and has emerald green eyes.

"Holy SHIT!" he pants. "Hey Jo." She collapses on him and gives him a bear hug while mumbling incoherent apologies. I carefully approach Annie and crouch in front of her.

"You okay?" I ask her. Annie looks up at me with her big, yet almond shaped eyes.

"Yeah," she whispers. "What's your name?" she asks.

"My name is is Katniss Everdeen, "I turn around and point to Gale, "And that's Gale." He simply nods his head in our direction.

"Guys," Johanna turns to Finnick and Annie. "this is Finnick Odair and Annie Cresta," She states proudly. TOOT. TOOT. The train starts to slowly move, escalating in speed.

"Now," Finnick says with a clap of his hands, "let's get to know each other."

/

I'm in the meadow drawing a yellow dandelion, my undivided attention focused on perfecting its simplicity.

"Hey Pete? Why so glum?" I look up from my drawing and see my best friend, Delly.

"First of all, never call me that again," a small laugh escapes her lips, "Second, I'm not glum."

"De-NI-al!" she sings while rocking back and forth on her feet.

"Third of all," I say with an exasperated sigh, "you know why."

"And you, Peeta Mellark, know exactly what I'm gonna say."

"Delly, I just can't stop. I can't." she gives me a sad frown.

"Well we gotta go to school. Come on," she motions her hand for me to follow her.

"I seriously don't want too." I flop back onto the grass.

"Come on ya lazy bum!" Delly laughs while tugging my feet. I place my arm over my eyes.

"I don't want too!" I whine.

"HAYMITCH!" she screams.

"Oh no, not him. Not Haymitch. Not the old drunk across the street that raises geese for a hobby!" I shout.

"HAYMITCH." I stand up and start sprinting towards the school.

"HA! YOU LITTLE SUCKER!" I hear Delly laughing. 'Sucker my ass,' I think to myself. Once Delly is out of sight, I set my pace to a slow walk. I saunter over to the school, and push through one of the double doors. I make my way through the raging sea of high school delinquents and into an empty hall. "Hope I don't run into Cato today,' I say to myself, 'I'm just not in the mood.' Unfortunately for me, the world just loves to torture me.

"HEY LOVER BOY!" he shouts. I look behind me; he's a good fifteen feet away from me. I turn back around and quicken my pace.

"Fricken ass," I mumble.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" I'm being yanked back by my shoulders and slammed against the nearest wall of lockers.

"OOF!"

"What did you call me, lover boy?"

"I called you a fuckin asshole," strangely enough, I don't regret those words, in fact I feel a sense of relief. I try to squirm my way out of his filthy grasp.

"Ooooooh..." SLAM. He pulls me back and pushes me onto the lockers. "Bread boy trying to put up a fight? I don't think so," Cato warns. He holds me up by my shirt collar, raising me up a foot off the ground.

"Fuck off, Cato," I growl.

"Oh yeah? Why should I? Are you just not in the 'mood'? Did someone do something to push you're buttons? Huh? Did someone bring up your little imaginary girlfriend again?"

"Shut the hell up, Cato."

"Oh, so that's what it is! Oh, well I heard that she got taken away. Is that right?" he mockingly asks. I stay silent, trying to show no emotion, but the redness of my face must have given me away. "And that she was taken to the Capitol to have her tongue cut off. Maybe they turned her into another Capitol whore-" I couldn't take it anymore. I knee Cato in the crotch. He releases me of his death grip and clutches it with his forearms.

"You... Little punk!" he manages to wheeze out. I have no time to spare. Curling my hand into a fist, I punch him square in the nose.

"YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FUCK YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT!" I shout.

"OOF!" he takes a kick to the gut.

"SHE WOULD NEVER TURN INTO A CAPITOL SLUT!"

"ARGH!" I throw him into the lockers and hold him there.

"SHE NEVER DESERVED TO HAVE HER FAMILY TAKEN FROM HER!" I punch him in the jaw. "SHE NEVER DESERVED TO BE TAKEN FROM ME!" I raise my fist for another strike when I am roughly pulled away from my process of demolishing Cato.

"Boy! What the fuck do you think your doing?!" Haymitch yells. I take a better look at Cato and see the state he is in. Thick, red, blood dripping from his nose, plum purple spilt lip, a now blue bruise that is on his jawline, and redden hands and knuckles that are clutching his ribcage. 'Two assaults in one week,' I think to myself.

"Boy, you go cool off, I'll take care of him." I am about to leave when Haymitch grabs my shoulder. "You find her. Now. I don't want you to loose your girl and end up like me."

**_PLEASE_** (note the bold and the italicizes and the caps) **_REVIEW FOLLOW FAVORITE!_** And would more people read it if I updated more often? Please tell me. Thanks. XD


	7. IMPORTANT! PLEASE DON'T IGNORE!

AUTHORS NOTE! STRICTLY AUTHORS NOTE! Okay so I forgot to put in the last chapter is... My ransom note. So... (imagine in an evil voice, or a teacher/principal that you hate, either one) In order to have your precious little chapter, I want 30 followers and 15 favorites and 3 reviews by next year (couldn't say an actual date. xD) until you give me my wishes, the chapter will stay locked up... In my notes. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA- *cough cough* HAHAHAHAHA!

On a serious note... 30 followers, 15 favorites, 3 reviews for the last chapter. And. GO!


	8. Haunting Memories

So here are my responds the reviews that I thought were funny/sweet/made my day/awesome

Okay, so the review that said I was cruel... Amen to that. I won't do that anymore. I promise. *fingers crossed behind back* But seriously, I'll try not to. In fact I won't unless I need to. (which I won't)

That was a bit cruel, ClatoIsReal. So just for you (and everyone else) I will update the next chapter as soon as possible. :)

To girlsruntheworld... According to me, you are following my story. :) And yes... GO PEETA!

Dear zhgzh122,

Yes, I am torturing you. XD. And thank you for giving me my wishes. ;) And I will FOR SURE keep writing til it's done!

And FalineInTheWoods, I seriously hate these deadlines too. So I am not doing out of enjoyment, but as an experiment, so I probably will do it only when I truly get desperate. I don't want to do that to my followers. :'(. But like I said before, I won't do it again. (3

Yes I agree with you, AHeart99, this is truly fantastic. :)

To the guest who "flipping loves [my] story"... "I LOVE YOU, RANDOM CITIZEN!" XD

MaidenAlice... I'm glad someone finds my humor to be amusing. HAYMITCH APPROVES! Sorry, had to put that in one response.

And Guest. Thank you so much! I was just in History class one day and I came to mind!

So there's that. And to other reviews and to people who favorite/followed Runaway... I got home and first thing I did was go on my phone to check my emails. Oh. My. Gale. It was practically on OVERLOAD! Thanks a bunch! And I seriously hope that it was just for more than that little ransom note...

ONTO THE STORY! DISCLAIMER: I OWN NONE OF THE HUNGER GAMES MATERIAL!

/

"So... You've lived with a family friend your whole life?" Gale asks, still confused.

"No. It was a foster home. Like yours. Except we had a single guardian. Brutus Kaylo. Big, burly, guy. He treated Annie and I like shit, so we decided that enough was enough." Finn explains. A pang of guilt flashes on his face as he stares at Annie.

"Okay, but you've lived in District 4 your whole life?" Gale asks.

"Yep." Finn looks out the train door. "I've always wonder what it was like to have a family. A real family. Not like those shitty ones where the parents let the kids do whatever and go wherever they want. The ones that ate dinner around a table and made you have a curfew. The ones where saying 'I love you' was never a chore." Silence is cast among us.

"I had a real family once." I state with no emotion. "A father, a mother, a sister, and even a goat." I pause there.

"Can you tell us about them?" Annie's small voice says. I take a big inhale.

"Her name was Prim. My sister, Primrose Everdeen. She was... " I pause, "My everything. I loved her more than my own life."

"What was she like? What did she look like?" Annie asks.

"She had wispy, yellow blonde hair that bordered her heart-shaped face. Her sky blue eyes would shine so bright that it put the sun to shame. She was only a child the last time I saw her."

"How old?" Finn asks.

"Seven." I answer flatly. 'Only seven.' I think to myself. "She had a heart of pure gold from the start."

"What happened to her?" he asks softly. I look at his sea green eyes.

"Taken."

"May I ask how?" I sigh.

"Yes."

"How?" Annie asks.

"Peacekeepers. They took them all. Prim, my mother, my father, they even killed Lady, Prim's goat."

"Why? And what was it like before then?" Annie asks.

"We were a poor family, but a happy one. We used to live in 12 in a dirt poor area called the Seam. My father, James Everdeen, worked in the mines. Twelve hours a day, six days a week. Prim and I were only children. We were oblivious to what was happening under our noses." I pause there. I look at Gale and he nods his head.

"My father was using loans from... The Capitol. A lot of loans. And it didn't help that he was using the money to get equipment to start a rebellion against them."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Finnick exclaims as he puts his hands in front of him. "How did he manage to get THAT past them? I mean don't they ask what your using the money for? And check the records too?"

"My father told them that he was using the money to put us in school. Which we did. But we only got in because one of the teachers was a rebel."

"Who was the rebel?" Annie asks.

"Haymitch Abernathy."

/

Okay so I was gonna write more... But I decided that this would be like a filler chapter. Next one will start off with Peeta. Until next time... Oh read review follow favorite!


	9. Tell Me Old Man

Okay you guys... I AM EXTREMELY 100% SORRY! I'm sorry I haven't been able to update... I feel ashamed. :( It's just that we had this HUGE essay in English plus another one that we have to have a rough draft on by next Friday and then I just kept on getting writers block on the story and... Yeah... Let's just hope that that won't happen again! And just an FYI, I'm putting off homework for this, which I NEVER do (unless it's reading one of my fav fics), so your welcome. On with the story... But first my response to the reviews...

Okay so I got a review from marycontrary82 asking if Katniss's family was dead or alive... It says that her family was taken... Not necessarily alive OR dead. Katniss has absolutely no clue. The only one that died for sure was Lady.

And OMG! To FabalouisCarot18... Thank you so much! That just... That just made my day. Well, the day that I read it which feels like months ago, but I still get butterflies in my tummy. :D

And please let me know if there is anything that I could do to improve this story and make it more interesting... Other than when katniss and Peeta meeting. That's gonna be a surprise. ;) And I know exactly how its gonna happen. :D So on with the story, blah blah blah, I don't own anything, yada yada yada, enjoy, and yeah. And I advise you to read the chapter before this... Just so that you won't be confused. ON WITH THE STORY! I OWN NOTHING!

/

"Fucking Cato. He doesn't know what the hell he's talking about." I say as I kick a small grey rock across the pavement. My head is facing the ground."Haymitch should've let me beat the shit out of him when I got the chance. "

"Easy, boy." I whip around. It's Haymitch fricken Abernathy. I let out an exasperated sigh.

"What do you want Haymitch?" I ask in a dull, emotionless voice.

"What I want, is to ask you a few questions," he says.

"About what?" I ask.

"That girl, the one the boy was talking about. Who is she?" I immediately tuck my hands into my pockets and turn around, walking in the other direction. I feel a firm hand on my shoulders and I come to a halt.

"Who is she, boy?" He asks with a more firm tone in his voice.

"It doesn't matter anymore I'll never see her again."

"What is her name?" I turn around and see Haymitch's eyes are furrowed together and his mouth has formed a deep frown.

"Her name is Katniss Delilah Everdeen." his mouth becomes a straight line.

"Boy, your wasting your time. Katniss is gone. Long gone. All the way in District One and if you-" he immediately stops his flow of words. "Shit," he mumbles.

"What? She's in District One?" he just sighed and ran his rough long fingers through his thinning blond hair. I grab onto his shoulders and start to shake him and shout, "TELL ME OLD MAN! IS SHE IN DISTRICT ONE?!"

"Geez whiz boy!" he yells as he pushes me off of him, "last time I checked she was!"

"Wait..." I said. "So your telling me that you've been checking on her?"

"Yes, Lover-boy, I have. I've also checked on the rest of her family as well." This news startles me. 'Why does this old creep have the ability to see where they are?'

"Hey! I am not a creep." he yells.

"Oops."

"I was a close friend with Katniss's father, James Everdeen. We worked in the same... Organization together. In the weaponry business. When they got take for whatever reason I was able to find their location and check on them every once in a while."

"Well why didn't you save them?! Why didn't you tell someone else?!" I shout.

"If I could I would, boy. But I can't. You see my presence in the Capitol isn't exactly appreciated. Which is where her father was," Wait was? "and I cannot reach her mother and sister in District Two; they're kept in some sort of slave house or something."

"So they're all alive and fine?"

"Not exactly." he puts a hand on my shoulder and looks at me with soft and sad eyes. "Katniss is fine. James was killed. And her mother and Prim, well... They were turned into Avoxes."

/

Duh duh DUUUUUUHH! Exciting right? Sorry it's not that long but you do get a lot of info in this. :) And tributes... I've always wanted to do this... HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE HUNGER GAMES CHARACTERS! Here we go...

Katniss: What the fuck?! *looks around* Where are we?! *turns on flashlight*

Everyone: *turns on flashlight*

Finnick: Aw shit I think I hit my head *puts hand up to head*

Peeta: Why is my shirt off? *puts hand on chest and looks around for shirt*

Finnick: Yeah! And why isn't my shirt off? *whips off shirt and flexes all muscles*

Johanna: *hits Finnick on back of head* Knock it off!

Finnick: Ow!

Gale: Hey!

Everyone: *looks at Gale*

Gale: Where the fuck are we?

Katniss: I have no clue

Peeta: Where are my pants? *looks down and sees that he's only in his boxers*

Johanna: Well this is a turn on...

Katniss: JOHANNA!

Johanna: What brainless?

Katniss: *angrily sighs*

Annie: Guys where are we? And why is it so dark?

Me: HEY GUYS!

Johanna: WHAT THE FUCK?!

Gale: Who the hell is she?!

Me: Oh you know it's just me! You know... Me! *flashes flashlight at Gale*

Gale:*puts hands up to block out light*

Peeta: Excuse me, but where are we.

Me: *does an inward sigh to try to hold in moan (from Peeta's sexiness of course)* why you are in my house of course!

Katniss: And how exactly did we get to your house?

Me: ...

Katniss: Well?

Me: ISORTAKNOCKEDYOUALLOUTTHENPU TYOUINPOTATOBAGSANDPAIDAHOBO TWENTYBUCKSTOGETYOUGUYSHEREA NDITOOKALLOFYOURWEAPONSSOYOU COULDNTKILLMEANDTOOKOFFPEETA 'SSHIRTANDPANTSANDTURNEDOFFAL LOFTHELIGHTSANDGAVEYOUGUYSFL ASHLIGHTSANDWAITEDINTHECORNE RUNTILYOUALLWOKEUPWHICHWASAB OUTEIGHTHOURS.

Everyone: ...

Annie: Do you have anything to drink?

Me: Yeah of course.

Gale: Do you have any squirrels?

Me: Yeah outside.

Johanna: Can I walk around naked?

Me: I suppose...

Peeta: Do you have a kitchen and flour?

Me: Yep.

Katniss: Do you have any mockingjays?

Me: We have mockingbirds.

Finnick: Do you have any sexy magazines?

Me: My brother does...

Finnick: WE STAY.

Okay I think that that was longer than the chapter... Oh well. Read review follow favorite etc!


	10. Good Luck

Okay guys, that last chapter was pretty damn interesting. I see that you guys liked the conversation... I'll probably do that again in a few chapters from now because honestly... That was some of the best shit I've written so far. Oh and to chocolate-chip-cookie-monster... my brother doesn't have sexy magazines. I kinda made that part up. It'd be kinda messed up if an eight year old had a stash of "those" magazines... But still LOL. XD. And thank you's to Kaylz-Always-PK, bw1819, and Peeta-loves-katniss for making my day. On with the story! I own none of THG materials... Blah blah blah. And I would've updated earlier but I totally just passed out on my bed when I came home... Gosh shouldn't I be at least 80 to do that? Anyway here it is!

/

A slight shake wakes me up from my deep sleep.

"Catnip. Catnip. We've stopped in District Seven and now it's time to say goodbye to Johanna." Gale whispers softly into my ear. I jolt up, ramming my ear into Gale's nose. "SHIT!" he shouts while holding his nose. Johanna and Finnick burst out laughing. "Ugh. I think I'm bleeding." he says with a nasally voice. I tilt his head back and have him hold it there.

"Whew! Well that made some good memories!" Johanna says as she pretends to wipe a tear from her eye. She pulls me into a hug and whispers, "I'm gonna miss you, Brainless."

"Yeah. I'm gonna miss you too." she abruptly gets up and hugs Annie. "Gonna miss you."

"Gonna miss you too." Johanna wraps her arms around Finnick's neck.

"I'm gonna miss you, Sexy Boy."

"Yeah, I'd miss me too." She slaps his head but smirks.

"okay none of this sappy shit I gotta get moving while the train has stopped."

"Will we still keep in touch?" Annie asks with her small voice. Johanna sighs.

"I'm positive that our paths will cross one day." She looks at all of us. I'm expecting some sort of speech, but instead she shouts, "LATER BITCHES!" and jumps off the train. We all look out the train to see Johanna jogging off into the woods. Before she enters she turns around and holds up three fingers on her left hand and mouths incoherent words. But I know what she said. 'Take care, Katniss. I know they're out there somewhere." and a single tear rolled down my cheek.

/

My legs feel numb and my knees start to shake. 'Her father is dead, and her mother and Prim were turned into Avoxes, but Katniss is still alive.' I get a firm grip on his boney shoulders.

"Can we see where they are?" I ask with a shakey voice. I can feel the rim of my eyes are coated with warm, salty tears.

"Boy, I don't know if we can. Besides that takes weeks to do. I don't have no magic mirror to see them in. I get the information from other resources." I knot my hands into my curly blond hair. "But I'll do my best." I whip around.

"Really?"

"Really. Now get back home. My supply of whiskey is running low. I'll get the info in at least two days." he spins me around and gives me a light shove into the other direction. I'm zoned out for a period of time until my feet start to properly function. 'Katniss is safe.' I tell myself over and over. 'She'll be here soon enough.'

"PEETA!" I hear. I whip around and see Delly jogging up to me. "Peeta! Are-" She gasps to take a breath, "Damn my low stamina. Are you okay?" she says once she catches her breath.

"Katniss is alive." I say while a soft smile is on my face.

"What?" she asks, unsure of what she just heard. I pull her into a hug.

"She's alive. Katniss is alive." I whisper to myself and to Delly.

"Peeta..." she says with a warning tone in her voice.

"She's alive."

"Peeta." She firmly says.

"She can come back." I say while still in my daze.

"Peeta!" she shouts. She pushes me off of her.

"Wha..."

"Peeta you don't know Katniss anymore! It's been six years! For all we know she could be a serial killer! She-"

"She's still Katniss." I say and look down at the ground.

"IT'S BEEN SIX FUCKING YEARS PEETA! SIX LONG YEARS!" in taken aback by her language. "PEOPLE CHANGE PEETA! FOR BETTER AND FOR WORSE! SHE MOST LIKELY CHANGED FOR THE WORST IN THAT FUCKING MENTAL HOME THEY SENT HER TO!"

"She went to a fosters home-"

"WHO ARE YOU TRYING TO FOOL PEETA?!" she pinches the bridge of her nose and shuts her eyes tight. "Who? You've been playing this sick love game of yours for six years." she looks into my eyes, her hazel eyes now darkened. "I don't want to see you get hurt anymore."

"I won't-"

"Oh yes you will. And when you do I'll just say I told you so." we stare into each others eyes. "You know what Peeta. Forget you. See me when you get your life back. I don't wanna stick around to see your life get crushed and know that I couldn't do anything about it." she turns around and starts to walk. "And Peeta." she says with her back turned.

"Yes?"

"Good luck. You'll need it."

/

Read review follow favorite! And next chapter I will answer any questions that I will get in the reviews or an pm. Let's see how that goes. All questions about the story will be answered!


	11. Broken Souls

Okay. Wow. I am sooooo sorry I haven't updated in like, forever. When I'm on a roll, I'm on a roll. When I'm not... I'm not. And just... Damn my laziness. Unfortunately I had major writer's block and wasn't able to update. Any ideas for the story? I already have some good ideas, but suggestions are welcomed!

/

Katniss POV

"Are we there yet?!" Finnick whines. He's been complaining since Johanna left at District 7. Right now we just stopped at District 11.

"No Finnick!" Gale shouts. He sighs and wipes his face with his hands. "Okay, this is taking forever. When will we be there, Catnip? If Finnick doesn't stop in the next minute I'm gonna slap him senseless." Finn shuts his mouth and looks at Gale with tired, wide eyes.

"I say another two, maybe three hours." Annie answers for me. She

peers over at Finnick's face and pokes the dark circles under his eyes and says, "Geez, Finn. You should get some sleep." He sighs.

"I can't. I'm worried-"

"Finn, Jo's fine. She can take care of herself."

"Yeah you're right. I just..." he doesn't have the energy to complete his sentence. His head falls back onto the pile of hay and he drifts off to sleep. We all stay silent until five minutes later Finnick is snoring like a bear.

"Thank heavens!" Gale shouts. I smirk.

"Okay, so guys... What's the plan when we get to twelve?" Annie asks in a hushed whisper, afraid to wake up Finnick. Both Gale and I think for a while.

"I don't know. Get a job, maybe. Go hunting again and trade." Gale answers. He looks over at me, "What about you, Catnip?" I pondered this question for a moment. 'What would I do?' I thought to myself. 'I want to find out where my family went... But I also wanna see Peeta..." Peeta. The thought of him makes the corner of my mouth turn.

"I think I'll reunite with some of the people there." I say. Gale nods his head, and Annie smiles.

"Who would you 'reunite' with?" she asks.

"Old friends, Greasy Sae. Not a lot. Just a few." I say. It's half the truth. Annie just doesn't have any knowledge of who Peeta is. "What about you, Annie?"

"Um... I donno. Finn said that he had it all planned out. I think we're just going to get secured in 12." I nod my head. Annie brushes back the hair covering Finn's face and stares at him with love that's beaming from her eyes. It's unreal how much they love each other. They show it with the smallest acts. Aside from my father and mother, I don't ever recall seeing love as strong as theirs. I smile, 'Its good to know that there's some love in the world.'

"Aren't you gonna see Peeta, Catnip?" Gale asks. Annie's eyes go wide and she sits up.

"Peeta? Who's Peeta? Is it a boy? Do you like him? Why didn't anyone tell me?!" she asks while bouncing up and down. My cheeks flush scarlet.

"Yes, Peeta's a guy." I mumble.

"Well don't leave it at that! Tell me more!" She shouts while grabbing my shoulders and shaking me. I keep my mouth shut. I slightly nod my head in Gale's directing, hoping she'd get the hint. She lets me go and snatches Gale's wrist and attempts to tug him over to where Finnick is sprawled out on a pile of loose hay.

"Go to sleep." Annie tells him. "I want Katniss to tell me who Peeta is and she can't spill all of her girl secrets if a boy is there soaking up every word." Gale chuckles, but lets her to continue to pull him.

"First of all, I'm a man. Second of all, I already know all of Katniss's 'girl secrets' about Peeta. And lastly," he stops and looks over at Finnick. He's kicking his legs and a stream of drool is dripping down the side of his face. "I'm not gonna sleep if this guy is gonna be kicking me in the balls all night long." Annie and I laugh.

"He won't. Just... Don't get in his personal space." Gale gives up and lays down.

"Alright, alright..." he yawns and turns over so that his back is facing us. Annie turns around, plops down and crosses her legs.

"So. Who's Peeta?" she immediately asks.

"Uh, well, he's one of my childhood friends..." I start.

"And..." she continues.

"We were really close as kids. Not brother and sister close like Gale and I, but like... An indestructible bond. Do you get what I'm saying?"

"Yeah." she says with a nod of her head, "Carry on."

"Well... We were just kids, but uh... I remember, everyday, he would tell me that he loved me and that he would never let me go." I pause as Annie drags her butt and sits right beside me. "God, I remember he was such a romantic, even as a child." I feel a smile start to form on my face. "He worked in a bakery. He would always give me a cupcake or cookie that he made himself." I sigh. "As strong as he was, he was still broken. And so was I."

"How was he broken?" my throat starts to close and my eyes are coated with tears at the memories that tore Peeta apart.

"His bitch of a mother- she would... She would beat her own sons. Especially Peeta." Plump, salty, tears roll down my face. "He never deserved it. Apparently she had wanted a girl, but she got another boy. He was so strong. He held his head up high at every slap or hit he received." Annie wraps her arm around my shoulder and tugs me down to her lap. "I remember when he first told me that he loved me. His face was tomato red from embarrassment and he wouldn't stop fiddling with his hands."

"When was the first time he told you?" Annie whispers.

"We were about seven. And I remember him telling me those three words. And then he said, 'Will you love me Katniss? Someday? I don't want you to leave me, and if you love me, then you'll never leave.'" I sighed. "I remember thinking that I already loved him. And I would do anything that I could to protect him from his mother and anyone else that would want to harm him in any way shape or form."

"What did you do?"

"I nodded and gave him a kiss on the cheek and a hug."

"What happened when they took you away? How did they take you away?" I sniffled in the goop dripping from my nose and wiped the remaining snot with my sleeve.

"They took me away when my dad died and my mother didn't bother to take care of us. I was ten and prim was seven. She was sucked into her own world and banned herself from reality. The neighbors noticed how thin Prim and I were getting and how my mother wasn't stepping foot out of the house. They began to get suspicious and reported it. Peacekeepers came into our house and saw me cooking a meal out of leftover rabbit and tap water for prim, my mother, and I." I repeatedly wiped the silent tears that were streaming down my face. "I remember all the questions they asked. Like if there was another guardian taking care of us and who was the supporter of the house. Once they found out that I've been fending for all of us they took custody of Prim and I and took us away." I started to bawl. "I remember their iron grips on our wrists. I remember seeing Peeta through the bakery window staring at us with wide, scared eyes. He dropped the pan of pastries and sprinted outside. The peacekeepers were already shoving us into the car when Peeta got there. He was banging and punching on the window all while crying. He yelled, 'Don't leave Katniss! Don't leave me! Your not suppose to leave! You love me, and I love you!'" I started to cry even harder. "I told him that I loved him and I would come back to him. Then two peacekeepers dragged him away from the car. That was the last time I saw him." I collapse into Annie's lap and let my dam of tears flow. 'I love you, Peeta.'

/

I'm in my room tearing it piece my piece. "Fucking shit. I'm such an idiot!" I yell. I throw a framed photo of Delly and I across the room. It contacts my door and the glass shatters. I can't believe I just lost my best friend. As I prepare to strike at a defenseless wall, a firm knock on my door drags me out of my tantrum.

"Peeta. Open the door." my dad calls. I stare at the door and stay as still as a statue. "I know your there, I just heard something break from downstairs. Open the door."

'Great, I'm in some deep shit now.' I think to myself as I sulk my way to the door. I place my hand onto the doorknob and slowly start to twist it. When I open it, I see my dad with crossed arms and a confused expression on his face.

"Peeta, what's going on?" I run my hand through my hair and decide to ignore the question. "You haven't been acting like yourself all week. First you punch Rye, then, from what I heard, you and that Cato kid got into a brawl, and now your breaking everything in your room." I look up at him. I expected him to have steam puffing from his ears and his face tomato red, but instead, I meet a pair of dim, disappointed, blue eyes and a slight frown plastered on his face. "Son, if you don't tell me, I can't help you."

"Well, maybe I just don't want your help!" I shout.

"Maybe you just need some help." he shoots back. He sits down on my bed beside me. "Peeta, let me help you. You've opened up to me before, why can't you now?" I sigh. 'Why can't I open up now?" I think to myself. 'Maybe it's because if I tell him that I was because of Katniss he'd think I'm crazy. But... What do I have to lose? I already lost Katniss..' I inhale a long, slow, deep breath.

"It's Katniss." I manage to whisper. "I miss her so much."

"Oh Peeta," my dad sighs and pulls me to his side.

"Sometimes, I wonder where they sent her. And if she's okay. Sometimes I wonder if she forgot me. Or forgot all of our promises we made to each other." my dad ruffles my hair.

"Don't worry, bud. She's out there. Just-"

"PEETA!" Rye storms into the room. He's breathing heavily and his hands are shaking. My father and I get up.

"What is it Rye?" my father asks. Rye takes a few deep breathes and says.

"It's Mr. Abernathy. He says he has some news for you."

/

So! There's that! I kinda get writers block on this story a lot... So I was thinking... In the periods of time that I do get that... Write another story? It'd be a modern day one will the whole 'gang' in high school or college. It'll have A LOT of drama. (Sorry, thats not much of a description...) And those ones seem to flow better. Tell me what you think. Review, favorite, and follow! :) Oh and in my story... Can you guys tell me if Peeta has another brother besides rye. I know... It's sad that I've forgotten my characters... Oh well. XD


	12. Reunited

I GOT MY FREAKIN BRACES OFF YESTERDAY! So excited! AND IT'S 12/12/12! Anyway, sorry for the long wait. I just have been really busy. Enjoy! An I own no THG materials

/

"He's in the living room," Rye informs me.

My heart stops. Why would Haymitch be here? At my house? Downstairs in the living room? Unless... My eyes enlarge at my realization. I leap from my bed and sprint down the stairs. I halt to a stop. On the brown, leather couch, was Haymitch Abernathy, chugging down the whiskey from his silver flask.

"Where is she? Where's Katniss?" I immediately demand. He clears his throat.

"Well, I checked in on the foster place that Katniss was situated in," he states. I wait for his next answer, but he remains silent.

"And?" He rubs his temple and sighs.

"Apparently she escaped about a week ago along with two other people that lived with her."

"But-"

"At this point I have no clue where she is," he interrupts. "She could be anywhere." He sighs. "I'm sorry, boy. I really am." I run my hands through my hair. I can't believe it. I won't.

"I'm going for a walk." I brush past him and walk out the door towards the town square.

/

I feel a warm heat beating down on my face.

"Katniss , are you ready to go?" Annie whispers in my ear. I slowly flutter my tired eyes open and wipe the crust from them. I push myself off of the wooden floor and look around. My heart stops when I see that we're in District 12.

"We're here!" Gale yells. "Quick, we have to get off before the conductor catches us in here!" I grab my pack and count heads.

"Where's Finnick?" I ask. Slowly but surely, he emerges from behind a pile of hay while stretching.

"Right here, sunshine," he says along with a yawn. "Are we ready to go?"

"Ready as I'll every be," Gale mutters. He looks out the cargo door. "Alright,I pretty sure that the peacekeepers are on lunch break since it's twelve in the afternoon." He jumps off the train. He motions us to follow him. We all jump off and run out of the train station and towards the town square.

"So what are we gonna do for money?" Gale asks. "Just enough that'll get us by for a few days."

"I thought about that actually," Finnick states. "Maybe Katniss can sing on the street, for a few bucks. And-"

"Oh no. I am NOT singing," I protest. I haven't hummed a single tune since I was torn from my family.

"C'mon, Katniss!" Annie whines. "Pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty-"

"Okay!" I yell. "I'll do it. Right here. In the town square."

/

A soft, familiar tune lures me into the crowd that's surrounding the source of the beautiful music.

Deep in the meadow, under the willow

A bed of grass, a soft green pillow

My feet start to move on their own accord, towards the gentle melody

Lay down your head and close your sleepy eyes

And when they open, the sun will rise

"Is my mind playing a cruel, sick, twisted joke on me?"

Here it's safe, here it's warm

Here the daisies guard you from every harm

I push my way through the small sea of people.

Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true

Here is the place where I love you.

I shove my way through the last few people to just stop my movement altogether.

Deep in the meadow, hidden far away

A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray

In front of me, is an angelic, beautiful human being.

Forget your woes, and let your troubles lay

And when again it's morning, they'll wash away

A sole tear trickles down my cheek.

Here it's safe, here it's warm

Here the daisies guard you from every harm

Her awareness of my presence makes her last few lines come out as a stunned whisper.

Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true

Here is the place where I love you.

"Katniss."

/

There's that! Comment, review, follow, and favorite! And I will try to update faster!


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